Outlook includes search operators that let you filter emails by date using natural language phrases like “received:yesterday” and “received:last week.” These operators work inside the search box in Outlook for Microsoft 365, Outlook 2021, and Outlook for the web. The difference between them is the exact range of dates each operator returns. This article explains how each operator works, what date range it covers, and how to use them correctly to avoid missing emails.
Key Takeaways: Outlook Date Search Operators
- Search box > received:yesterday: Returns only emails received on the previous calendar day, from 00:00 to 23:59 in your local time zone.
- Search box > received:last week: Returns emails received during the previous calendar week, Monday through Sunday, based on your local time zone.
- Search box > received:today or received:this month: Use these for other relative date ranges when you need more or less precision than yesterday or last week.
How Outlook Date Search Operators Work
Outlook search operators are keywords you type directly into the search box at the top of the mail, calendar, or people module. When you type received:yesterday, Outlook converts that phrase into a date filter that matches the previous calendar day. The operator does not use a rolling 24-hour window. It uses the calendar day that ended at midnight of the current day. For example, if today is Wednesday, March 15, received:yesterday returns all items received on Tuesday, March 14.
The received:last week operator returns all items received during the previous calendar week. In Outlook, a week runs from Monday to Sunday. If today is Wednesday, March 15, received:last week returns items received from Monday, March 6 through Sunday, March 12. Items received on Monday, March 13, are not included because that day is part of the current week.
Time Zone Handling
Both operators use the time zone set in Windows under Settings > Time & Language > Date & Time. Outlook reads this time zone and applies it when evaluating date filters. If you travel across time zones, the date boundaries shift accordingly. For instance, if you are in a time zone that is UTC+2 and you receive an email at 01:00 UTC, that email appears to arrive at 03:00 local time. The operator still groups it by the local date.
Supported Clients
The received: operator works in Outlook for Microsoft 365 desktop, Outlook 2021, Outlook 2019, Outlook for the web, and the new Outlook for Windows. It does not work in Outlook 2016 or earlier versions. In older versions, you must use the received field in the Advanced Find dialog (Ctrl+Shift+F).
Steps to Use received:yesterday and received:last week
Follow these steps to apply date search operators in Outlook. The steps are identical for all supported clients.
- Open the Outlook search box
Click inside the search box at the top of the mail, calendar, or people module. The keyboard shortcut is Ctrl+E. - Type the operator
Type received:yesterday or received:last week exactly as shown. Do not add quotes or extra spaces. - Press Enter
Outlook filters the current folder to show only items that match the date range. The search results appear in the main list. - Add more filters (optional)
You can combine date operators with other keywords. For example, type received:yesterday invoice to find only yesterday’s emails that contain the word invoice. Type from:contoso.com received:last week to find emails from a specific domain during last week.
Using Date Operators in Search Folders
You can also use these operators when creating a Search Folder. In the Search Folder criteria, select the Advanced tab and add a condition for Received Date. Set the condition to yesterday or last week. This method works in Outlook 2019 and later.
Common Mistakes When Using Date Search Operators
received:last week Includes Current Week Days
A frequent error is assuming that received:last week includes Monday of this week. It does not. If today is Thursday and you run the search on Monday morning, last week ended on Sunday. Monday of this week is not included. To find emails from the current week including Monday, use received:this week or received:last 7 days.
received:yesterday Shows Emails From Two Days Ago
If you run the search after midnight, the previous day is now two days ago. For example, if you check your email at 01:00 AM on Wednesday, received:yesterday returns Tuesday’s emails. The emails you received on Wednesday at 00:15 are not included because they arrived today. To see emails from the last 24 hours regardless of the calendar boundary, use received:last 24 hours or create a custom date range with received:>=03/14/2025.
Typing Errors in the Operator
Outlook requires exact spelling. Typing recieved:yesterday with a misspelling or received:last-week with a hyphen returns no results. The operator must use a colon and no spaces around the colon. If you see no results, check the spelling and punctuation.
Search Scope Is the Current Folder
Outlook date operators only search the currently selected folder. If you are in the Inbox, the search does not include the Sent Items folder or any subfolders. To search all folders, click the search tab and select All Mailboxes or change the scope to All Outlook Items.
| Item | received:yesterday | received:last week |
|---|---|---|
| Date range | Previous calendar day (00:00 to 23:59) | Previous calendar week (Monday to Sunday) |
| Number of days | 1 day | 7 days |
| Time zone used | Windows local time zone | Windows local time zone |
| Rolling window | No, fixed calendar day | No, fixed calendar week |
| Best use case | Finding today’s missed emails from yesterday | Reviewing all emails from the prior work week |
| Common mistake | Running after midnight expects today’s arrivals | Assuming Monday of this week is included |
Now you can use received:yesterday and received:last week to find emails by date in Outlook. Combine these operators with sender or subject keywords for more precise searches. For even faster filtering, try the received:this week operator to see all emails from Monday through today without typing a custom date range.